What To Do This Weekend: Screen some Oscar contenders, brave the chill in the name of rock

Friday

Dec 12, 2008 at 12:01 AMDec 12, 2008 at 1:29 PM

I feel like the entertainment options have grown slimmer now that there's no big critically acclaimed TV show like Mad Men on the air, the glorious Crew season is over and both Ohio NFL teams are unforgivably bad. However, it's also prestige movie season, so peeping some award bait like Slumdog Millionaire, Rachel Getting Married and Synecdoche, New York would make for an intriguing couple hours.

And there are still lots of good rock shows worth mentioning this weekend - or, more accurately, tonight - so let's get to 'em:

I feel like the entertainment options have grown slimmer now that there's no big critically acclaimed TV show like Mad Men on the air, the glorious Crew season is over and both Ohio NFL teams are unforgivably bad. However, it's also prestige movie season, so peeping some award bait like Slumdog Millionaire, Rachel Getting Married and Synecdoche, New York would make for an intriguing couple hours.

And there are still lots of good rock shows worth mentioning this weekend — or, more accurately, tonight — so let's get to 'em:

Topping the bill has to be Constantines' Columbus debut tonight at The Summit, 2210 Summit St. In my preview, I professed my love for this band of melodic-but-still-very-gritty post-punk dudes from Guelph, Ontario. Their last two albums haven't been as fabulous as the first two, but I'm still eagerly anticipating their set. Sweetening the deal are Obits, the new project from ex-Drive Like Jehu/Hot Snakes dude Rick Froberg, and local ne'er-do-wells Mr. Rubberburner. This one costs $8 and will begin at 9 p.m.

Coming in at a close second is the show next door, the album release party for Cincinnati-to-Columbus transplants The Jellyhearts. The bluesy garage rockers, releasing something called Lotta Tape, Lotta Soul, will be joined by Cheater Slicks, The Slide Machine and Cincy's The Sundresses for this spectacle at Cafe Bourbon Street, 2216 Summit St. It's a 10 p.m., $5 sort of thing.

Also worth noting is the latest appearance by folk-rocky ensemble Josh Fitzwater and the Shambles, who'll be recording tonight's show at Oldfield's on High, 2590 N. High St., for distribution as a free live album some time in the coming months. Thems dudes is playin' with Matt Munhall and Stucco Jones starting at 10 p.m. $5 gets you in.

And I would be remiss not to mention the latest appearance by Ghost Shirt, whose amicable indie rock has been driving the Treehouse regulars wild. Turn out to that bar, 887 Chambers Rd., for a double bill with the venerable Whiles (and a special opening set from former Treehouse proprietor Quin Fallon). 10 p.m. show, $5 cover.